Phase 3 Checkpoint: Rhythm and Melody

Sessions covered: 13–18 (cumulative: Sessions 1–18)

Phase 3 has transformed your playing. You have moved beyond chords and strumming into the world of scales, fingerpicking, syncopated rhythm, hammer-ons, pull-offs, and the simplified F chord. You can play melodies from TAB with expressive technique and pick individual notes with your fingers as well as a pick. The jump from Phase 2 to Phase 3 is the biggest leap in this course — and you have made it.

How to use this checkpoint: Print this page, or copy the item numbers onto paper, so you can write your marks. Play each item, check it the way the item says, and mark yourself honestly — this checkpoint exists to help you, not to judge you. Have your tuner, your metronome and a phone that records sound beside you. If you run out of time, finish on your next practice day. Item 19, the ear item, is marked from the recording you made after Session 18. If you have not made that recording, read item 19 first: the recording has to be at least a day old before you mark it.

Each item says how it is checked. The checks are always of these kinds:

Tuner check: pluck each string of the chord, or each note, slowly; the tuner (in the mode that shows any note) shows the letters listed.
Click check: play with the metronome; you pass if you never stop and you finish with the click.
Count check: so many times in a row without the fault that is named.
Recording check: record the item and listen once for the one thing that is named.
The change test (Session 3): Set the metronome to the tempo given; each click is one beat. Strum each chord once, with a downstroke, and let it ring. Play a new chord every 4 beats (on beat 1 of each measure) or every 2 beats (on beats 1 and 3), as the target says. Alternate the two chords until you have played 8 chords in a row: that is 7 changes. You pass when all 8 land on their click with every string that should sound ringing, twice on the same day.
The recorded card test (Session 6): used for the ear item. You made its recording after Session 18.

For each item, mark yourself Mastered (you pass the check written in the item), Needs Work (you can do it, but not yet to the standard of the check) or Not Yet (you cannot do this yet). Items marked * are must-pass. What that means is explained under “Overall Phase Assessment” at the foot of the page.

What You Have Learned

In Phase 3 you added:

Syncopated strumming with accents and muted strums (“chk”)
Dynamic strumming: loud strums and ghost strums, and playing a progression once quietly and once loudly
The C major scale (one octave, open position: C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C)
Note names on the fretboard (strings 1–5, in open position)
Fingerpicking: the p-i-m-a system, the p-i-m-a arpeggio, and the alternating-thumb pattern (a first step towards Travis picking)
The A minor pentatonic scale in open position (A-C-D-E-G)
Hammer-ons and pull-offs
The simplified F major chord (strings 4 to 1), with its two-string barre
Playing back a short phrase by ear (the recorded card test)
Songs and studies: “Paranoid” verse riff, “Mere Sapno Ki Rani” opening lines (simplified), Em–D arpeggio study, Session 16 melody study, “Roop Tera Mastana” (refrain chords)

Skills Checklist

Strumming and Rhythm

1*. Play the syncopated rock pattern with muted strums at 65 BPM

Count:  1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &
Strum:  D   (u) chk U   D   (u) chk U

Mastered — Click check: 8 measures on Em at 65 BPM, syncopated pattern; you never stop and you finish with the click. Your fretting hand keeps holding the chord: the edge of your strumming-hand palm makes each chk. Recording check: every chk is a click with no note you could hum.
Needs Work — Muted strums are unclear, or you lose the pattern after a few measures. Review Session 13, “The Muted Strum (chk)”. If you hear notes during the muted strum, a string is not under your palm, or the palm is landing after the pick. Count “ONE-and-chk-AND-THREE-and-chk-AND” aloud while playing.
Not Yet — Cannot play the syncopated pattern. Return to Session 13, “The Muted Strum (chk)”, and do its practice (chord on beats 1 and 3, chk on beats 2 and 4, at 60 BPM, 8 times) on each practice day for one week. Then take this item again.

2. Play G, Em, C, D once quietly and once loudly

Mastered — Record the “Quiet and loud” exercise from Session 13: G, Em, C, D, one measure each, once as quietly as you can, then once loudly, with the same loose strum. Recording check: the difference can be heard on the recording.
Needs Work — The volume difference is slight. Loud means a bigger stroke, not a harder one. Review Session 13, “Applying the Pattern to the Pop Progression” (the “Quiet and loud” exercise), and record it again.
Not Yet — Everything sounds the same volume. Return to Session 13, “Dynamics in Strumming”, then do the “Quiet and loud” exercise, 2 minutes a day for one week. Then take this item again.

Scales

3*. Play the C major scale ascending and descending at 60 BPM, two notes per click (eighth notes)

Mastered — One octave in open position, from C (string 5, fret 3) up to C (string 2, fret 1) and back, with alternate picking (down, up) throughout. Count check: three times in a row with no wrong note and no stop. Tuner check, once, slowly, going up: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C.
Needs Work — One or two notes are hesitant, or picking is not consistently alternating. Review Session 14, “How to Practise the Scale”. Go back to 50 BPM, two notes per click, and come back up 5 BPM at a time.
Not Yet — Cannot play the full scale without stopping. Return to Session 14, “Full TAB — Ascending and Descending”, and play it at 60 BPM, one note per click (quarter notes), 5 minutes a day for one week. Then take this item again.

4. Name ten notes on the fretboard from shuffled cards (strings 5 to 1, in open position)

Write each of these fourteen positions on its own card as a string and a fret (for example “string 5, fret 3”), not as a letter. Shuffle the cards, turn over ten, and name each note before you check it against this list:

String 1: open is E, fret 1 is F, fret 3 is G
String 2: open is B, fret 1 is C, fret 3 is D
String 3: open is G, fret 2 is A
String 4: open is D, fret 2 is E, fret 3 is F
String 5: open is A, fret 2 is B, fret 3 is C

Count how many of your ten answers were right.

Mastered — At least 8 of the 10 are right.
Needs Work — 5 to 7 are right. Review Session 14, “Notes on the Fretboard”, and Notes On The Fretboard. Go through all fourteen cards once on each practice day for one week, then take this item again.
Not Yet — Fewer than 5 are right. Return to Session 14, “Notes on the Fretboard”. Learn one string a day: play each of its notes and say its name aloud. After one week, take this item again.

5. Play the A minor pentatonic scale in open position, ascending and descending, at 60 BPM, one note per click (quarter notes)

A minor pentatonic, open position: ascending (twelve notes)
e|----------------------|-------------------|-----------0---3---|
B|----------------------|-------------------|---1---3-----------|
G|----------------------|-----------0---2---|-------------------|
D|----------------------|---0---2-----------|-------------------|
A|--------------0---3---|-------------------|-------------------|
E|------0---3-----------|-------------------|-------------------|
Count:  1   2   3   4       1   2   3   4       1   2   3   4
Finger: -   3   -   3       -   2   -   2       1   3   -   3
Notes:  E   G   A   C       D   E   G   A       C   D   E   G

A minor pentatonic, open position: descending (eleven notes)
e|------0---------------|-------------------|---------------|
B|----------3---1-------|-------------------|---------------|
G|------------------2---|---0---------------|---------------|
D|----------------------|-------2---0-------|---------------|
A|----------------------|---------------3---|---0-----------|
E|----------------------|-------------------|-------3---0---|
Count:  1   2   3   4       1   2   3   4       1   2   3
Finger: -   3   1   2       -   2   -   3       -   3   -
Notes:  E   D   C   A       G   E   D   C       A   G   E

Coming down, the top G is played once, so there are eleven notes; the last E lasts two beats. In the Finger row, a dash means an open string. The five notes are A, C, D, E and G. String 2 is never played open in this scale (open string 2 is B).

Mastered — Up and down as printed, with alternate picking throughout. Count check: three times in a row with no wrong note and no stop. Tuner check, once, slowly, going up: E, G, A, C, D, E, G, A, C, D, E, G.
Needs Work — Some notes are hesitant, you skip a string, or you play string 2 open. Review Session 16, “Am Pentatonic Scale, Open Position”. Go back to 50 BPM, one note per click, and come back up 5 BPM at a time.
Not Yet — Cannot play the full pattern. Return to Session 16, “How to Practise the Pentatonic Scale”, and start at Step 1 (ascending only, 40 BPM, one note per click), 5 minutes a day for one week. Then take this item again.

Fingerpicking

6*. Play the alternating-thumb pattern on Em for 4 measures at 55 BPM, one note per click (quarter notes)

Mastered — Thumb and two fingers (p, i, m): the thumb (p) plays string 6 on beat 1 and string 5 on beat 3; the index finger (i) plays string 3 on beat 2 and the middle finger (m) plays string 2 on beat 4. Click check: four measures with no wrong string, finishing with the click.
Needs Work — The thumb plays the wrong string, or the pattern breaks down after 1–2 measures. Review Session 15, “Alternating-Thumb Pattern on Em”. Start with the thumb only (string 6, then string 5), then add one finger at a time. Go back to 50 BPM.
Not Yet — Cannot coordinate thumb and fingers. Return to Session 15, “First Fingerpicking Exercise — Open Strings”, then “Alternating-Thumb Pattern on Em”. This takes time — 5 minutes on each practice day for one week will build it. Then take this item again.

7. Play a p-i-m-a arpeggio pattern on Em and D (the chords of the Em–D arpeggio study)

Mastered — At 50 BPM, one note per click (quarter notes): the eight-note pattern twice on Em, then twice on D. The thumb (p) picks the bass string (on Em, string 6 and then string 5; on D, string 4 both times), then the index (i), middle (m) and ring (a) fingers pick strings 3, 2 and 1 in order. No wrong string, and every note rings.
Needs Work — Some notes are missed or the pattern is uneven. Review Session 15, “TAB — Em–D Arpeggio Study” and its finger guide. Play the Em measure alone four times, then the D measure alone four times.
Not Yet — Cannot play arpeggios consistently. Return to Session 15, “First Fingerpicking Exercise — Open Strings”, at 50 BPM, one note per click, 4 minutes a day for one week. Then take this item again.

Expressive Techniques

8*. Play a hammer-on from the open string to fret 3 on string 1 — the second note rings clearly

Mastered — Pick the open string, then bring finger 3 down quickly onto fret 3 without picking again. The hammered note should be clearly audible. On an acoustic guitar it will be a little quieter than a picked note, and that is correct. Count check: five in a row.
Needs Work — The hammered note is faint or does not ring. Make the tap quicker and land closer to the fret. Review Session 16, “Hammer-Ons”.
Not Yet — Cannot produce a clear hammer-on. Return to Session 16, “Hammer-On Exercise”, 3 minutes a day for one week. Then take this item again.

9. Play a pull-off from fret 3 to the open string on string 1 — the open string rings clearly

Mastered — Pick the note at fret 3, then pull finger 3 off so that it plucks the string, without picking again. The open string is clearly audible. Count check: five in a row.
Needs Work — The pulled-off note is weak. As you lift the finger, flick it slightly downward, towards the floor, so that it plucks the string. Review Session 16, “Pull-Offs”.
Not Yet — Cannot produce a clear pull-off. Return to Session 16, “Pull-Off Exercise”, 3 minutes a day for one week. Then take this item again.

Barre Chord

Barre work: no more than 5 minutes a day in total. Pain rule: tender fingertips are normal. Pain in the wrist, forearm, thumb joint or knuckles, numbness or tingling, any sharp pain, or pain that lasts into the next day means stop. The full rule is in START HERE.

10*. Play the simplified F major chord — strings 1 through 4 ring clearly

Mastered — Finger 1 lies across strings 2 and 1 at fret 1 (the two-string barre), finger 2 is on string 3 at fret 2, and finger 3 is on string 4 at fret 3. Pluck strings 4 to 1 one at a time: all four ring. Tuner check, string 4 to string 1: F, A, C, F. Count check: three times in a row, releasing completely in between.
Needs Work — One or two strings are muted or buzz. Review Session 17, “F Major — Simplified Version (Four Strings)”. String 2 dead: finger 1 does not reach far enough; move it a little further across. String 1 dead: it has fallen into a crease of finger 1; shift the finger slightly up or down and roll onto its edge. String 3 dead or buzzing: that is finger 2, not the barre; move it closer to the fret wire. String 4: finger 3, the same.
Not Yet — Cannot play the simplified F chord. Return to Session 17, “The Two-String Barre” and “Adding Fingers 2 and 3”: press, pluck four strings, release, 8 times on each practice day for one week. Never hold the chord against a clock. Then take this item again.

11*. Change between C and F (simplified) with a new chord every 4 beats at 80 BPM

Mastered — You pass the change test for C and the simplified F with a new chord every 4 beats at 80 BPM: one downstroke on beat 1 of each measure, 8 chords in a row, all 8 landing on their click with every string that should sound ringing, twice on the same day.
Needs Work — The F chord is slow to form after leaving C. Review Session 17, “Transition Practice: C → F → C → F”. Find the fastest tempo at which you can pass, in steps of 5 from 60 BPM, and climb from there.
Not Yet — Cannot switch to F in time. Return to Session 17, “Transition Practice: C → F → C → F”: 20 slow changes with no clock, placing every finger before you strum, then the change test at 60 BPM, on each practice day for one week. Then take this item again.

Songs

12. Play the “Paranoid” verse riff (Black Sabbath) at 75 BPM, two notes per click (eighth notes)

Mastered — The four-measure riff twice through without stopping. E5 and D5 are clean two-note chords, the palm muting is the same on every eighth note in measures 1 to 3, the three hits in measure 4 land on 1, the ”&” of 1, and 3, and you finish with the click.
Needs Work — The rhythm is unsteady, some notes ring while others are muted, extra strings ring, or measure 4 is rushed. Review Session 13, “How to Learn This Riff”. Slow to 60 BPM and keep your palm in one place; play the root notes alone, then add string 3.
Not Yet — Cannot play the riff. Return to Session 13, “How to Learn This Riff”, and start at Step 1 (root notes only), 5 minutes a day for one week. Then take this item again.

13. Play the opening lines of “Mere Sapno Ki Rani” (simplified, in A minor) at 65 BPM, two notes per click (eighth notes)

Mastered — The count-in and all eight measures without stopping. Every note is the same length. Each phrase starts on “4 &”. You can say which phrase ends on F and which on C.
Needs Work — Some notes are missed, or the pick-up notes come in late. Review Session 14, “How to Learn This Melody”. Practise one phrase at a time at 60 BPM, one note per click.
Not Yet — Cannot play the melody. Return to Session 14, “How to Learn This Melody”, and start at Step 1 (Phrase 1 alone, no metronome), 5 minutes a day for one week. Then take this item again.

14. Play the Em–D arpeggio study fingerpicked at 55 BPM, two notes per click (eighth notes)

Mastered — All 16 measures and the final note, without stopping. Each note rings clearly, the thumb finds the right bass string every time, the changes between Em and D do not interrupt the pattern, and you finish with the click.
Needs Work — Chord changes interrupt the pattern, or some notes are missed. Review Session 15, “How to Learn This Study”. Practise each chord’s measure separately before joining them. Go back to 50 BPM, two notes per click.
Not Yet — Cannot play the study. Return to Session 15, “How to Learn This Study”, and start at Step 1 (the Em measure alone, no metronome), 5 minutes a day for one week. Then take this item again.

15*. Play the Session 16 melody study at 60 BPM, two notes per click (eighth notes)

Mastered — All eight measures of the Question-and-Answer Melody Study, twice in a row without stopping, finishing with the click. The hammered note and the pulled-off note are clearly audible. You keep counting through the quiet measure after each phrase.
Needs Work — Ornaments (hammer-ons, pull-offs) are rough. Review Session 16, “How to Learn This Melody”. Practise ornaments slowly before adding tempo.
Not Yet — Cannot play the melody. Return to Session 16, “How to Learn This Melody”, and go back to 50 BPM, two notes per click, 5 minutes a day for one week. Then take this item again.

Phase 1–2 Retention

16*. Play all seven open chords (Em, Am, E, D, A, G, C) — each rings clearly

Mastered — You form each of the seven chords from memory, and for each one every string that should sound rings when you pluck the strings one at a time.
Needs Work — One or two chords have a buzzing or dead string. For each weak chord, go back to the session that teaches it (Em: Session 2; Am: Session 3; E: Session 5; D: Session 7; A: Session 8; G: Session 10; C: Session 11): place the shape, pluck each string that should sound and lift off, for 1 minute on each practice day for one week. Then take this item again.
Not Yet — Several chords have deteriorated. Review the session that teaches each weak chord (Em: Session 2; Am: Session 3; E: Session 5; D: Session 7; A: Session 8; G: Session 10; C: Session 11): place, pluck each string and lift off, 10 times for each chord, on each practice day for one week. Then take this item again.

17. Play G, Em, C, D with the D D U U D U pattern at 70 BPM, two measures per chord

Mastered — Click check: 8 measures without stopping. Every chord lands on beat 1, every string that should sound rings, and you finish with the click.
Needs Work — One transition breaks the rhythm. Drill the weak change with the change test at a slower tempo.
Not Yet — Cannot keep the progression going with the pattern. Review Session 11, “The Complete Pop Progression”, and Session 5, “Strumming Pattern Breakdown”. Play the progression at 60 BPM, strumming D/U, 3 minutes a day for one week. Then take this item again.

More Phase 3 Pieces

18. Play the “Roop Tera Mastana” refrain chart with the simplified F at 60 BPM, strumming D/U

Mastered — The eight-measure refrain chart from Session 17 (G, F, G, F, G, F, D, D, one measure each), without stopping. Every chord lands on beat 1, the F has all four of its strings sounding, and you finish with the click.
Needs Work — The changes into and out of F are late. Review Session 17, “How to Learn This Song”. Go back to 50 BPM with one downstroke on every click; if F arrives late, strum beats 1, 2 and 3 and use beat 4 to move.
Not Yet — Cannot play the chart through. Return to Session 17, “How to Learn This Song”, and start at Step 1 (one strum per measure), 5 minutes a day for one week. Then take this item again.

Ear Skills

19*. Play back a three-note phrase by ear (the recorded card test)

This item is marked from the recording you made after Session 18: the recorded card test (Session 6), Test 3, play it back, with six three-note phrases of your own. You made your first three-note recording after Session 16. If you have already marked the Session 18 recording on an earlier practice day, use that mark. If you have not made the recording, make it today (it takes about 3 minutes) and mark this item tomorrow.

To record, if you need a new recording: write six slips, each with a three-note phrase of your own on strings 1 and 2, using only E (string 1 open), F (string 1 fret 1), G (string 1 fret 3), B (string 2 open), C (string 2 fret 1) and D (string 2 fret 3). Shuffle the slips face down. Start recording. Turn over one slip at a time: say its number aloud, play its phrase twice, slowly, wait about five seconds, and put the slip face down on a new pile. Keep the pile in order and put it away without looking through it.

To mark, on a later day: for each number, listen to both playings, then play the phrase; turn the slip and compare the strings and frets you played with the slip. A phrase is right only if every note matched. If someone else can play the phrases for you where you cannot see their hands, that works equally well.

Mastered — At least 4 of the 6 phrases are right.
Needs Work — 2 or 3 are right. Make a new set of six two-note phrases, as in Session 14, and record and mark it. When 4 of the 6 are right, record six three-note phrases and take this item again.
Not Yet — Fewer than 2 are right. This develops with time. Return to the ear check at the end of the Session 14 page: record and mark a set of two-note phrases twice in the coming week. Then take this item again.

Overall Phase Assessment

Count your “Mastered” items: _____ out of 19

Are all nine must-pass items (1, 3, 6, 8, 10, 11, 15, 16 and 19) Mastered? Yes / No

Result	What It Means
Every * item Mastered, and 16 or more of the 19 items Mastered	Go on to Phase 4.
Anything less	Practise the items that are not yet Mastered for one more week, using the advice under each, and take those items again. Pay special attention to scales and fingerpicking. After that second week, go on to Phase 4 in any case and keep the unfinished items in your warm-up.

Checkpoints are not exams, but they do decide when you move on. Items marked * are must-pass. If every * item is Mastered and at least four in every five items are Mastered, go on to the next phase. If not, practise the items that are not yet Mastered for one more week, using the advice under each, and take those items again. After that second week, go on in any case and keep the unfinished items in your warm-up.

Encouragement

Look at the range of what you can do. You strum syncopated rhythms, pick a melody from Hindi cinema, fingerpick arpeggios, play scales, hammer-on, pull-off, and fret the simplified F chord. Eighteen sessions ago, you had never held a pick. The distance you have covered is extraordinary.

Phase 4 is where everything comes together — arrangements that join melody and chords, moveable power chords, improvisation, and the end-of-course run-through. You have every tool you need. The final phase is about using them to make music that moves you and anyone listening.